Top 10 Popular Old School Games by Nintendo

There is no dearth of video games developers in the world, thanks to the huge demand. However, few have the creativity and capacity to maintain a reputation for decades after decades. Without a doubt, Nintendo lands on one of the first few spots on the list, if you were to make one.

Every true gamer knows about Nintendo, the NES, Nintendo 64, and other revolutionary consoles as well the cult-classic games like the Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and more. So, let’s take a look at 10 of the most popular old-school Nintendo games that we grew up playing:

Super Mario Bros.

The Super Mario Bros. is easily one of the most popular video games ever published. Released in 1985, it has sold over 40 million copies to this date which makes it the best-selling Mario game ever!

A large number of millennials, in fact, got into video games with the Super Mario Bros., which alone says a lot about it.

The Legend of Zelda

The Zelda is another popular franchise of Nintendo which was instrumental in taking the company to the top. It offered the players the surreal and magical elements of RPG-style gaming and a compelling storyline that was a cherry on top. It was popular then, and is popular today too, which is why we have The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Switch selling like hot cakes.

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong was not only a hit game, it was the game that laid the very foundation the legendary character Mario as Jumpman. We all remember how we were tasked with the rescue of Pauline from the giant Donkey Kong. We jumped over barrels, climbed ladders to reach the top to save our beloved. It was super fun, and for many- it still is! In fact, if you are itching to play the game once again, you can also play the latest entry Donkey Kong Country: Tropical.

Caesar’s Palace

Caesar’s Palace was launched on the NES console in 1992 and was a novelty for the time being one of the rare Nintendo games that were based on casinos. In it, you could play slot games roulette, and also poker. It also rewarded you with chips on the bets that you won.

Single gambling was quite popular back in the time, just like it’s today in the form of online slots etc. Caesar’s Palace was loved by many.

Nowadays we associate casinos with glitz and HD glam, however, when you play Caesars palace you get to experience a slightly more pixelated gambling experience.

PAC-MAN

The PAC-MAN game was simple and yet so fun. All you had to chomp on the white dots as you traversed through a maze trying to avoid the ghosts. However, it still required some strategy and nimbleness. At any rate, it was quite addicting and certainly deserves to be on this list.

Double Dragon 2

At the time when Double Dragon 2 was launched, there were few action games that actually has some real “action”. However, this game stood out because it offered a variety of action moves including the Hyper Uppercut, Whirlwind Kick, etc. The enemies were challenging, and so were the bosses. Overall, the game was quite polished and “grand” like a big-budget action movie which is why it practically sold itself!

Megaman 2

The Megaman 2 was packed with action but at the same time, it was extremely challenging. However, the fact that you had to be a superhuman to beat this game didn’t stop it from becoming a success.

Even though the players died again and again in the game, they simply loved the special powers you could get in the Megaman universe, and use them wisely according to each boss you had to fight.

Contra

Contra was the Nintendo version of the “Rambo” but it was very different in many ways still. You made your way through jungles, alien nests, and all kinds of scary yet imaginative locations and used the power-ups to shoot a variety of human and non-human enemies. The bosses were terrifying and some levels even super-challenging, but overall, the game was one of the best ones ever created.

Duck Hunt

One of the coolest things about the NES console was its light-gun accessory that allowed you to shoot objects on your TV screen as you played any compatible game. This was a unique concept, at least for the time, and the kids loved it!

One of the most popular games that were played with the zapper was Duck Hunt. In this, you jumped into the shoes of a hunter who would hunt down the flying ducks on the screen. You also had a dog who would grab the ducks that took successful hits. However, if you missed your chance to shoot a duck, he would also laugh in your face. Quite incredible the game was, really.

Final Fantasy

The Final Fantasy was a classic RPG game that offered a fair level of challenge along with great character customization. It was also created by none other than Hironobu Sakaguchi, one of the most notable video game designers and directors in the Japanese gaming history.